Bottle closure



inventor www' y Jan. 23, 1945. s. c. MILLER BOTTLE CLOSURE Filed Sept. 2l, 1942 Patented Jan. 23, 1945 BOTTLE CLOSURE Samuel C. Miller, Louisville, Ky., assgnor to Frankfort Distilleries, Incorporated, Louisville, Ky., a corporation of West Virginia Application September 21, 1942, Serial No. 459,147

4. Claims.

The present invention relates to improvements in bottle closures and more specifically resides in the substitute stopper for Coca Cola or like bottles; or in other words a stopper to replace the present crown cork.

An object of the invention is to dispense with the use of metal in the construction of bottle Stoppers, and at the same time to produce a substitute stopper of a diierent material of greater present availability and without sacricing any of the advantages of the composite cork and metal crowned and crimped Stoppers.

A further object of the invention resides in providing an improved bottle stopper which may be sold apart from the bottles as an independent assembly, and so constructed and arranged as to permit of easy and prompt application to a sealing position in the mouth of the bottle.

A still `i`urther object of the invention is to provide an improved stopper for bottles and the like in which the internal gas pressure will react to tighten rather than disturb the seal produced by the stopper.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention will be more fully described hereinafter, and will be more particularly pointed out in the claims appended hereto.

In the drawing, wherein like symbols refer to like or corresponding parts throughout the several views,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an improved bottle stopper constructed in accordance with the present invention and shown in an assembled condition independently of the bottle.

Figure 2 is a bottom plan View of the same.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal section taken through the improved stopper on the line 3 3 of Figure l.

Figure 4 is a vertical section takenthrough the improved stopper andY a portion of a bottle neck showing the initial phase of application.

Figure 5 is a similar view showing a subsequent position of the glass marble or ball.

Figure 6- shows the final position of the marble or ball and the sealed condition.

Figure 7 is a similar View showing the method of release of the stopper.

Figures 8, 9 and 10 are all vertical sections showing a modified form of stopper with the ball in successive phases of position.

Referring more particularly to the drawing I0 designates the neck of a form of bottle well known upon the market as that in which Coca Cola and other beverages are widely distributed and'sold. Such bottles have for some time been 5:

successfully closed by what is known as a crown cork in which the corrugated flange of the metal of the stopper is crimped under a lip or shoulder I I to compress the cork disc tightly upon the mouth of the bottle neck. It is the purpose of the invention to form below the mouth of the bottle an internally enlarged portion I2 between an upper constricted zone I3 and a lower constricted zone I4. The enlarged portion I2 is blown in the bottle and forms an external bulge to maintain uniformity of thickness of wall and to eliminate weakened areas. The internal wall of the enlarged portion I2 is preferably globular or formed on the section of a sphere.

The improved stopper which may be made of wood or some other appropriate material is comprised of a head I5 and a shank I6. The head is larger than the shank producing a shoulder II to rest on the lip or'mouth of the bottle and to arrest the downward movement of the stopper. In the head and shank are communicating passages I8 and I 9 with a shoulder 20 between the same formed by the differential diameters; the diameter of the upper passage I8 being greater than that of th shank passage I9. These passages conjointly form a continuous bore through the stopper opening through the head I5 and through the shank I 6. The shank I6 is preferably thinner of wall than the head I5 and is of an expansible material. A glass marble or ball 2| of a diameter slightly in excess of the diameter of passage I8 is adapted to be forced downwardly into the passage I8 and ultimately into the passage I9 and constitutes with the wall of the shank I6 Aa sealing stopper for the bottle.

The diameter of the ball 2i will be such as to expand the wall of the shank I6 tightly out against the internal globular wall of the enlarged portion I2, the diameter of the ball 2I corresponding to the curvature of wall portion I2 with allowances made for the thickness of wall of shank I 6.

The method of use is as follows:

The wood shell ts loosely inthe bottle. The

The condition of the parts is initially shownv in Figures l to 4 inclusive in which the glass marble 2| initially resides in the passage I8,

being frictionally held thereinby the wedging intervening action of the ball upon the wood wall and the reaction of the elasticity inherent in the wood about the ball. This friction effect will retain the ball in the head I5 during its transportation and sale and until its use is required. When applying the stopper it is rst put into position illustrated in Figure 4. Then it is forced down by the fingers or by an appropriate implement inserted through they tgp of passage I8. Figure 5 shows the position of the ball 'opposite the ,constricted Zone I3.

Figure 6 shows the nal position of the ball 2| lying wholly within the enlarged globular portion I2 and expanding the wall of shank I6 out against the wall I2. This; constitutes the resting place of the glass marble and the constricted zone I4 below will prevent the marble from easily falling by gravity' through the shanky passage I9. When inside gas pressure has a tendency to force the stopper out, the upward movement wedges; the shellcork against the top constriction I3. The. greater the pressure, the tighter the cork.

To open the. bottle, the marble 2| is pushed downwardly,l as indicated in Figure, '7, falling inside the bottle.4 The. shell may then be lifted out and removed, after which the glass marble ZI will leave the bottle. along with the contents.

By forming the. passages I8 and I9 of differential diameters, withthe shell larger at the top and smaller atthe bottom, expansion of the shell will be greater under the spreading influence of the ball as it is pushed downward past the improved constriction I3'of the bottle, neckA The vertically deep head I5 permits thev ball to be iirst pressed into the opening I8 by way of assembly before the shell is placed in the bottle neck. The flange. or head I5 i's therefore of sufficient vertical depth. to form a. housing for the ball 2l or at least to afford, sufficient wide wall area. of Contact. with the. ball to frictionally hold. the. same in place.

Referring more particularly to Figures 8, 9 and 10. passages may be provided but preferably the two passages constituting the. hole through the stopper are reduced in size at a point corref sponding to the greatest bulge in the upper part of the bottle, neck. Ihe reduction in size or diameter is indicated by the shoulder portions 22 and 23; that. is the internal diameter of the hole is reduced throughout an area included between these points. 22'. and'. 23'. The reduced size of the hole should, not extend over one-fourth of an inch from top to bottom with the center, as stated above, opposite the greatest extent of the bottle. Stoppers in accordance with this construction have4 actually been' made and proved tight.

A stopper of this. character drops into the bottle neck easily. Glass ball whichv goesl into the hole of' the stopper drops in the hole easily and comes to rest'.on top of the inside collar 22 of the shell stopper; A plungeris used to force the glass ball 2I past the upper part of the shoulder 22 until the bail comes to rest inside su'ch shoulder 2'2, thatis within the internally thickened or reduced section 22;, 23 of the shell' shank'. This condition is illustrated in Figure 9. The thickness of' this shoulder or area is about one-sixty-iourth of an inch.

To open the bottle, the ball-is pushed completely past, that' is below, they lower shoulder 23- and into the inside, of the bottle, as illustrated in Figure 1D.

It is obvious' that various changes and modications may be made. in the details ofcon.

'than the shank to rest upon the mouth of the bottle while the shank fits loosely within the mouth of the bottle, and a ball insertible through said passages and being of a diameter greater than that of eithery passage, said head passage being of sufficient depth and width to initially accommodate the ball in the original assembly of the parts, said headl and shank being of relatively expansible material, said communicating passages opening at the lower shank end into the interior.` of the. bottle, said` ball being unitary, self-contained and free. to be pushed downwardly through the shankand into the bottle.

2. For use with a. bottle having anf internally enlarged portion between constrictions, an improved stopper comprising a head of a width to iitupon the mouth of the bottle and-expansible shank to t loosely within the mouth of the bottle andi, acrossv said constrictions and enlarged portion, said head and shank. having axially aligned passages therethrough, and a globular member insertible through` said head and shank passages for expanding the shank into the said enlarged portion in sealing relationship to the bottle neck,V said passages opening at the inner end of said shank directly into the; bottle, said globular member being a free, self-contained and unitary membery adapted to be pushed thro-ugh the inner end of said shank intoy the container to free the stopper from the bottle.

3. A bottle. stopper for use with a bottle having a mouth and a neck portion having an enlarged internal. portion separating two constricted portions,y comprising an integral head and shank of expansible material having axially aligned communicating passages therethrough, said shank being disposed across said enlarged portion of the. neck of the bottle when the stopper rests in the mouth thereof, a ball insertible. through said passages and having a diameter greater than eitherl of said passages to expand said shank into. sealing relationship with the neck of the1 bottle aty the enlarged internal portion thereof, said passages opening through the inner end of said shank directly into the interior of the bottle, said ball being an unattached ball capable of rotation on axes angularly disposed to one. another and removable from thev shank intothe interior of the bottle through the,v opening in the inner end. of said shank.

4. In combination with a container having a. mouth. formedv with internally` constricted, portions at opposite sides oi an internally enlarged-part globular section, an improved stopper comprising a, headand a shank with an external shoulder between the same for. resting upon the mouth of the container, said head and shank both being of expansible material. and having registering passagesV opening through the upper face of the head and through the inner end of the shank,l said. shank being suiilciently said head, saidhead being suiciently deep to 10 initially accommodate said ball, said ball movable downwardly and into said shank to expand the thickened wall portion of said shank outwardly into the globular section of the container mouth, said ball adapted.- to be pushed all the way inwardly through said shank and into the bottle in the aci; of freeing the stopper from such bottle.

SAMUEL CyMILLER. 

